What do expect from Visit Nepal 2020?

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After the success of Visit Nepal Year 1998 and Nepal Tourism Year 2011, Nepal Tourism Board has started a campaign Visit Nepal 2020 to draw two million tourists by 2020. Nepal, officially the federal democratic republic and, is a landlocked country in South Asia. Nepal is located mainly in the Himalayan but also includes hilly and plain parts. Nepal draws tourists who come for many different reasons. Some are seeking to climb or trek in the Himalayas and, lured by the call of the mountains, others are intrigued by the culture and the famous city of Capital, Kathmandu, and more others visit here hoping to find some sort of spiritual awakening. Depending on the itinerary and mindset of the traveler, Nepal can be an adrenaline adventure, a cultural eye-opener, or a life-changing experience,

Why you should visit Nepal?

Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia, the most beautiful place in the world. Nepal is a multi-ethnic nation and as the official language with Nepali. The nation’s capital and largest city is the Kathmandu. Nepal is bordered by India to the south, east, west, and China to the north. It is located in the Himalayas and is home to eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth. The country has a total area of 56,827 sq. miles or 147,181 Km. Actually, this country is a gift of nature. It is a small landlocked Himalayan country. However, it is a full cultural and geographical diversity. One of the reasons to visit Nepal is for trekking and climbing mountains. You can climb to the top of the World by scaling and conquering the Everest, the highest peak in the World. Trekking comes with viewing the natural beauty of Himalayas and knowing the lifestyle of people living in altitudes above 4000 meters.  

Also Read: Everest Base Camp/Mountain Trekking

Visit Nepal 2020 logo

The Logo of Visit Nepal Year 2020 has been unveiled on 6 of June 2018 by the minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) late Rabindra Adhikari and he had invited to all to share as extensively as possible and to come together to celebrate the campaign as national festivals.

Top Tourist Attractions in Nepal

Mount Everest, Machhapuchhre Mountain, Kathmandu,Lumbini, Janakpur, Janki Temple, Khaptad, Rara Lake, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath stupa, Pashupati temple, Barun Valley, Kanyam, Illam, Manakamana Temple, Dachhinkali Temple, Bhaktapur durbar square Patan durbar Square Phoksundo lake, Gosainkunda, Bandipur, Jomsom Kagbeni, Karnali river Kalagadi river Changu Narayan Temple are some of the most popular places to visit in Nepal. Here’re the top 10 most attractive places to visit Nepal 2020.

10. Lumbini

Lumbini is a birthplace of Buddha and Buddhist Pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Nepal. It has a number of temples. Including the Mayadevi temple and several others that are still under construction. Many monuments, monasteries, and a museum, the Lumbini International Research Institute; are also within the holy site. Also, there is a holy pond or puskarini. Where the budda’s mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he had his first bath. Lumbini was made a world heritage site status by UNESCO in 1997.

9. Janakpur

Janakpur is the administrative and capital city of the Mithila, Nepal, It is home to the historic 500-year-old Janaki Temple, a major attraction for Indian Hindu pilgrims and international tourists, The massive 19th-century marble structure is the largest temple in Nepal. Janakpur is also known for the more than 100 sacred pools and ponds scattered around the tranquil city as well.

8. Khumbu Region

Khumbu also is known as the Everest Region, is an area of northeastern Nepal on the Nepalese side of Mount Everest. It includes the villages of Thame town of Namche Bazaar as well as, Pheriche, Khumjung, Pangboche, and Kunde. The famous Buddhist monastery at Tengboche, there’s a variety of comfortable accommodations available at the monastery, many of which offer stunning views of the tallest mountain on the world.

7. Nagarkot

Nagarkot is a village, located 32 km east of Kathmandu. At a height of 2,195 meters, it is considered one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur District. It is known for the best sunrise view spots, From here we can easily view of the Himalayas including Mount Everest as well as other peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. From here, we can also observe a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Vally. The scenic beauty of the place makes it a very popular hiking route for tourists.

6. Chitwan National Park

The first national park in Nepal is the Chitwan Nation Park. The park is home to rhinos, Bengal tigers, leopards, gaur deer, sloth bears, and many other critters. Freshwater dolphins and crocodiles inhabit the rivers and streams but are rarely seen. More than 550 species of birds make this park a paradise for ornithologists. In addition to jeep tours, tourists can experience the National park through elephant ride, jungle treks, and canoe rides. Chitwan is one of the best wildlife-viewing destinations in Asia.

5. Pokhara

Pokhara is a Metropolitan and second-largest city of Nepal after the capital city Kathmandu. With its tranquil lakes, verdant shorelines and mountain views, Pokhara is a popular resort destination for travelers from around the world. Know as the gateway to the Himalayas, the lakeside city offers respite to weary hikers. The largest of Pokhara’s three lakes, Phewa Lake is lined with luxury hotels, bar, shops, restaurants and boating at Phewa lake is one of the popular activities one does who go for a visit.

4. Patan

Patan is the third-largest city of Nepal after the capital city and Pokhara. Patan is situated in the Southcentral part of Kathmandu Valley. Patan is also known as Mangal. It is best known for its rich cultural heritage, particularly it’s the tradition of arts and crafts. It is also called the city of festivals and feast, fine ancient art. Built-in the 17th century, the palaces, courtyards, and temples of the Patan Durbar are the city’s main attractions.

3. Annapurna Circuit

The Annapurna Circuit is popular for a trek within the Annapurna Mountain range of central Nepal. The classic trek leads travelers high into the Himalayas, across plunging gorges, over desert plateaus and through lush subtropical valleys dotted by terraced farms. the trek also passes by many religious sites and quaint villages.

2. Bhaktapur

Situated in the east corner of the capital city of Nepal and, about 8 miles from Kathmandu. Bhaktapur is known variously as the city of culture, Living heritage, an open museum and more. it is an ancient city and is renowned for its elegant art, colorful festivals, fabulous culture, an indigenous lifestyle of the Newari community.

1. Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the largest city and capital of Nepal. It is a chaotic mix of tourist shops, hotels, trekking agencies, religious sites, restaurants, and artisan workshops. The highlight of Kathmandu has long been Durbar Square, the largest of the palace squares in the three royal cities and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

How many tourists visit Nepal each year?

Nepal tourism sector has enjoyed phenomenal increased in international tourist arrivals in 2018. The upward momentum continued throughout the year and the annual arrival visitors have reached above the one-million, a yearly target. According to the Department of Immigration, 969,287 international visitors came by air and 203,785 came overland. A total of 1,173,072 tourists visited Nepal in 2018, a cumulative growth of 24.77 percent over the previous year.

Tourist arrivals
Country	2018	2017
India	200,438	160,268
China	153,602	104,664
USA	91,758	79,146
Sri Lanka	70,610	45,361
United Kingdom	63,086	54,564

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These statics released on 09, 2019 of the Tourism Department Nepal.

Do I need a visa for Nepal?

The entry process in Nepal is very easy. ‘On Arrival’ visa procedure is very quick and simple. But, you can expect some queues during peak Tourist season. If you want to avoid those queues, you can also be applying for Visa from Nepalese Diplomatic Missions stationed abroad prior to your arrival. The choice is yours.

 If you have got a visa from Nepalese Diplomatic Missions, then you must enter Nepal within six months from the visa issued date.  But, Your all total stay is counted starting from the day you enter into Nepal.

According to the Immigration Office, Nepal

ON Arrival Visas are ‘Tourist Visas’.  They bear multiple Re entry facility. Tourist Visa ‘On Arrival’ is the only entry visa to Nepal. If you are visiting Nepal for the purposes other than Tourism (sightseeing, tour, travel, mountaineering, trekking, visiting friends and families), you should still get ‘ Tourist Visa’ to get into the country.  However, you must change the category of visa as per your purpose and length of stay in Nepal from the Department of Immigration by producing required documents.

Nationals of designated countries are requested to acquire Visa prior to their arrival from their nearby Diplomatic missions (Embassies/consulates) of the Nepal Government.  Check the link to make sure your eligibility for visa ‘On Arrival’.

Once you arrive at the airport, please follow these simple procedures for Tourist Visa on Arrival.

• 1^st  Step
  • Fill in ‘ Arrival Card ‘
  • Fill in Online ‘Tourist Visa ‘form ( you can fill it up prior to your arrival visiting the official website of the Department of Immigration / fill it up using Kiosk machines upon your arrival at the airport).  If you fill it from the website, you will get submission Receipt with barcode, please print it out and bring it along for acquiring a visa. It works for fifteen days and becomes invalid then after.  If so, you will have to fill it up again.
• 2^nd  Step  
  • Make payment  at the bank according to your visa requirement ( 15/30/90 Days)
  • Get the receipt

While you can use different modes of payments (at visa fees collection counter), we advise you to carry some cash to be on the safe side.

On Arrival Visa Fee

15 Days – 30 USD

30 Days – 50 USD

90 Days – 125 USD

• 3^rd Step  
  • Proceed to the Immigration Desk with your online form,  payment receipts, and your passport
  • Hand in your documents to an immigration officer for visa processing. He/she issues the visa to you upon his/her satisfaction.

Gratis Visa (Visa for Free)

Gratis Visa is issued free of cost in case of following categories of Visa applicants:

• Children below 10 years
• Up to 30 days for SAARC Citizens (except Afghanistan) once in a given visa Year.  Afghan citizens are eligible for Visa on Arrival only upon the recommendation of the Department of Immigration. If you are an Afghan citizen, you can request a concerned institution inviting you to Nepal for necessary paperwork with the Department of Immigration to get you Gratis Visa ‘On Arrival’.
• Non Residential Nepalese(NRN) card holder ( issued by MoFA /Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad)
• Chinese Nationals

Officials from China, Brazil, Russia, and Thailand do not need Entry Visa based on reciprocal visa waiver Agreement Source

12 country’s requested a Tourist Visa before entering Nepal? .Nationals of the following 12 countries are requested to obtain a Tourist visa from the Nepalese diplomatic mission (Embassy and Consulates) prior to their departure to Nepal. (except officials and diplomatic passport holders)those countries are Nigerian, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria, and people having Travel documents as a Refugee Status. Thank you for watching my Video, if you like my video please don’t forget to subscribe and share with your friends. Source: http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np

Challenges of visit Nepal 2020

The government plans to welcome 2 million international tourists by the end of 2020. This seems to be a daunting task but still, the target can be achieved because, over the last three years, Nepal’s tourism industry has been making steady progress.
Nepali tourism was at its lowest ebb after the devastating earthquake of 2015. It took the lives of many people and destroyed the property beyond imagination. This was a time when many foreign tourists left the country and several others canceled their bookings. It caused a severe financial blow to the national economy. Nepal still does not have good air connectivity with major tourist source markets. Currently, 28 international airlines from 14 countries are operating their flights to and from Nepal. However, due to limited space available inside the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), its further expansion is not possible. Thus, an additional slot is not possible in the near future.

According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), the number of international tourist arrivals had increased to 1.6 billion in 2018. This was a 6 percent increase and WTO has estimated that international tourism will grow between 3-4 percent until 2020.
The way international tourism is making its headway, it is obvious that Nepal can pull a large number of tourists as the country has much more to offer to them. Improved tourism means a better economy of the country. The tourism sector alone can play a vital role in boosting the national economy. Keeping this in mind, the Government of Nepal wants to leave no stone unturned to achieve the target of 2 million tourists during the Visit Nepal 2020, Campaign.